


Just Friends

by Adenar



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Humor, M/M, Matchmaking, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Romance, Romantic Comedy, better tag that now i guess!, i mean i don't know it might be forbidden west compliant we'll see!, lots of romance shenanigans but none of them involve aloy, not forbidden west canon compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25150621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adenar/pseuds/Adenar
Summary: Aloy can see the invisible, split an arrow at fifty paces, and tame machines at a glance. She'd also just quite like to be able to have a conversation with certain friends without them well-meaningly fawning over her. Vanasha thinks that, with a little help from Aloy and Uthid, she can help with that.Tags/relationships will update as the fic goes on.
Relationships: Aloy & Uthid (Horizon: Zero Dawn), Aloy & Vanasha (Horizon: Zero Dawn), Uthid & Vanasha (Horizon: Zero Dawn)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 30





	1. A Game of Favours

“So, little huntress, how do you think this works?”

“It seems to me you keep drinking until...at least one person can't get home alone. Maybe everyone.”

“That's certainly the goal.” Vanasha replied. “But there are steps. Think of it as a game of favours. Here, Uthid has started the game. He's getting the 'first round'. We're not playing a serious game, but if he was playing against a novice for real, then he stands a good chance of being owed a favour when the night runs out.”

“I don't think this is how people actually think it works.”

“Of course not, Aloy, but it's not their job to understand the _fine_ technicalities of social etiquette.” Vanasha replied, with amusement in her eyes. “You weren't brought up in this culture, so you need my perspective. Let me finish the metaphor, and you'll understand.”

It was a small inn that Uthid had taken them to. Regardless of whether he was guarding the privacy of the most recognisable Nora in Meridian, or this just happened to be a favourite haunt of his, Aloy was glad to be in a smaller pool of people. It was a lighter, airier building, that didn't smell of yeast and piss the same way some other inns did. While there had been a few stares in their direction and whispers, people had generally left them alone.

“Uthid gets the 'first round' of drinks. Having been bought a 'round', both you and I are now required to take turns buying him a drink. It would be rude to not buy everyone else at the table a drink too, and that's how you end up with a 'round'.”

“People really do come up with words for everything.”

“Oh yes. And of course, drinking is important, and requires many words.”

Through the crowd, Aloy spotted returning to them from the bar. “These are for you two.” Uthid said, pushing two tankards of a lighter liquid towards them. “I know it's only me drinking for real.”

“How _considerate_ of you!” Vanasha said, smiling broadly. “And remember, Aloy, if the drink tastes bad, let everyone know.”

“That won't offend anyone?”

“They'll be... _offended_ , yes - but they get get to admonish you for being a poor drinker, which implies that they are good drinkers.” Vanasha replied. “You're helping them secretly brag about themselves.”

Uthid groaned. “Enough of this nonsense.” He held out his tankard. “To Aloy.”

Aloy paused only momentarily before she remembered having seen this before, and clinked her tankard against his. “To...us?” she replied.

The others laughed. “You'll get there, girl.”

Aloy paused for a moment before finally putting the tankard to her lips and drinking a small amount. She furrowed her eyebrows, focusing on the aftertaste in her mouth. “It's...not awful.”

Uthid tipped his tankard towards her triumphantly. “See!”

“Sort of...honey? Is that what I'm tasting? And spices?”

“Precisely.”

“And that's how we corrupted the saviour of Meridian.” Vanasha teased.

“The more you drink, the better it tastes, so get started.”

“Is that because it – numbs my senses?” Aloy asked.

“Yes.”

“And that's the point?”

“Yes?”

Vanasha laughed.

Aloy sighed. “Well, it could be worse. I could be doing this with...Erend.”

“Oh, no.” Uthid agreed. “You don't want to go drinking with an Oseram. Not on your first go.”

“You say that like there'll be a second.”

“Never say never, Nora girl.”

“How come the vanguardsman never managed to convince you to go drinking, hmm?” Vanasha asked. “After all, he's such an advertisement for its joys.”

Uthid repressed a snort.

“Oh, so _unkind_.”

Aloy chuckled. “Well, it would certainly be memorable. Or – maybe not. Probably not.”

“A baptism of fire, and blank spots in your recollections.”

“Yeah. Drinking myself into a stupor isn't exactly a goal of mine.”

“ _Hardly_ helpful when you live life on the trail, of _course_.”

“I'm sure your vanguard friend wouldn't mind putting you up for the night.” Uthid replied, with an expression of feigned innocence.

Vanasha fake-gasped. “Uthid! How unusually crude of you.”

“Am I wrong?”

Aloy let out a long sigh. “No. No, you're not.”

“Drink up, Nora.” Uthid replied. “Tell us your troubles.”

“Yes, it must be such a pain to go through life unable to make friendships without people twisting themselves in knots over you.” Vanasha said, smirking, while Aloy drank.

“Mm, and you'd know nothing about that, would you?” Uthid snipped, with an amused smirk.

“Oh, is that a _compliment_? Such _flattery_.”

“Get away with you.”

“It...would be nice, yes, if people focused less on...deifying me and...more on _me_ , I guess.” Aloy admitted.

The conversation had her thinking back on all the people she'd befriended since the Proving. How many of them had just treated her as a person, rather than something more than human? Almost none of the Nora, for sure. Sona, at least, had given Aloy the luxury of being treated with the same brusqueness as all her other braves. As for Varl – Aloy had to admit that she liked how honest he could be with his emotions, but even he could be burdensome at times. Of all of them, Nakoa, despite her gratefulness for what Aloy had done, had always felt like the one who had treated her most like anyone else. There was, she supposed, a certain coincidence in how other outcasts were the ones that she was often the most comfortable with.

Other than Erend and the vanguard, Aloy hadn't met many Oseram. Petra at Free Heap always kept Aloy on her toes. She was flirtatious and forthright, but at the same time, never straightforward. Aloy got the impression that Petra liked how she could always make Aloy blush. On the other hand, much like Vanasha, Petra never made Aloy feel uncomfortable. They had their flirtatiousness in common, but they also seemed like they had enough self-awareness and self-confidence to not get wound up in seriously seeking Aloy's attentions. Aloy knew, without needing to see it, that their flirtations weren't reserved just for her. As for other Oseram, someone like Varga was different – she was open and honest about her excitement for Aloy's accomplishments, but never seemed to idolise her or make ridiculous romantic gestures. If she did harbour feelings for Aloy, she didn't make it obvious that her emotions were anything other than strong friendship. Aloy had always enjoyed spending time with Varga, and for once she hadn't begrudged the presence of another hunter.

When it came to the Carja, Talanah came to mind first as someone who didn't fall over her feet at Aloy. Maybe it was because of how they'd met. Talanah had needed someone to help accomplish her own goals, and wasn't interested at the time in getting swept up with Aloy's. Talanah had always said how grateful she was for Aloy's help, and how she would always be there for her Thrush, but it was Talanah's independence and pursuit of her own path that had meant Aloy was always excited to see her. Talanah never made a fuss of her the way people like Erend or Avad or even Vanasha sometimes did. With Talanah, she could just be herself.

“I do have friends I can be myself with.” Aloy said. “But there are others that...I would like them to not hope to be anything other than friends.”

“That is the least humble thing I've heard you say.” Vanasha replied. “I'm _extremely_ proud of you.”

“Yes, but Aloy, try not to take too many scrolls out of her shelves.” Uthid told Aloy. “Come on, keep drinking.”

“Ok, ok.” Aloy replied, and took a bigger swig. “How many of these am I going to have to drink?”

“Three people,” Vanasha said, drawing a circle between them in the air, “three rounds, three drinks.”

Aloy groaned.

“Do you find _my_ flirtations vexing, little huntress?”

Uthid snorted into his drink in amusement. Aloy was caught a little off-guard by the question, but she smiled in response. “I, uh...no. I can't say I do. But I can tell that they're not to be taken too seriously.” Aloy felt that Vanasha had never sought to make Aloy uncomfortable, except perhaps occasionally when they had first met, and Aloy knew that then it had just been a power play. Their conversations had also spanned many different subjects, not simply Vanasha and her opinion of Aloy. Aloy had never felt ogled in Vanasha's presence, never felt like some sort of exhibit. Teased, perhaps, but never othered.

“If only everyone had such clarity of thought.” Uthid said. “And for the record, since you mentioned it, I find your flirtations _extremely_ vexing.”

“Mm, but you like the attention.” Vanasha said, fixing him with a mischievous look. “It is true, I just can't help myself from charming _everyone_ around me. And you're always such a good sport, Aloy.”

Aloy laughed. “I won't ask you to stop.”

“Then I won't.” Vanasha replied. She took a swig of her drink. “Do you intend to ask Erend to stop?”

“Oh, _Vanasha_.” Uthid tutted. “It sounds so cruel when you say it that way.”

“I don't think Erend is...I don't think he feels _that_ strongly that I need to make a statement on it.” Aloy replied, taken aback. “Maybe...maybe, when we killed Dervahl, I got the impression he might have acted on it. But I don't think he feels that way any more.”

“True. That would have been an emotional time for him. And when you're young, it can be difficult to differentiate between adoration and admiration.”

“You can feel both.” Uthid commented.

“Oh.” Vanasha replied, raising an eyebrow and a smirk at him. “How insightful of you.”

“What, am I supposed to be a grey-haired monk? I know these things, woman.”

“What a shame there's no one in your life for you to use this knowledge on.”

“No. Don't get any ideas. You can keep this burgeoning scheme of yours to Aloy. Drink up and get your round.”

Vanasha chuckled, finished her drink, and stood. “Now, little huntress, you need to keep up with the other players, or you'll have a hard time.”

Aloy groaned and continued drinking. She wasn't sure that they were telling the truth when they'd told her that it got better the more that you drunk – or maybe it just wasn't having enough of an effect on her just yet. As Vanasha left, she hoped that whatever the Carja woman ordered would taste roughly the same as what Uthid had ordered.

“It's hard to have a serious conversation with her around, right?” Uthid said.

Aloy chuckled, and nodded. “She has her moments.”

“With you, maybe. I'm not as easy-going.”

“But you enjoy her company?”

Uthid sighed. “Girl, no one told jokes in Sunfall. None of any worth, anyway. And I had few friends worth keeping.”

“I...think I know what that's like.”

“Do you? The loneliness of solitude is very different to the loneliness of being surrounded by people.”

“I know a little about that, yes.”

Uthid looked at her with a raised eyebrow, then his gaze softened. “Then I regret that you had to experience that so young.”

They both lapsed into silence, and Aloy took the opportunity to try and finish her drink before Vanasha got back. Uthid chuckled.

“That's the spirit.”

Aloy put down her tankard, wrinkling her nose. “Are you sure it gets better as you go on?”

“Give it some time to hit, girl.”

“And this is fun?”

“As long as you don't do it alone, like your friend in the vanguard.” Uthid said, then laughed. “You know, if I had any of Vanasha's cunning, I'd say that's what you should do. Find him a drinking companion.”

“I'm pretty sure he drinks with the vanguard.” Aloy replied.

“What else do the Oseram do with their spare time? Hit things? Flirt with roaming Nora girls?”

“You say that as a joke but...that _has_ been my experience.”

Uthid laughed. “Straightforward people, the Oseram. You should see Marad talk to them sometime. I've never seen a group of soldiers look so uncomfortable.”

Vanasha appeared back at the table with three drinks in hand. “He has a particular affect on young Maerkurt. Sometimes I think that boy could cringe straight out of his armour.”

“Vanasha, listen to this. I had a _you_ thought.”

“Oh?” Vanasha asked, visibly amused. “ _Do_ tell.”

“Young Erend. He has his friends in the vanguard, and his friend the Prince. But who else does he have in Meridian? No one. Aloy gets him some friends, gets him settled into the city. Give him things to do so that he doesn't have time to stare after Nora girls.”

“His job is keeping Avad safe. He doesn't have _that_ much spare time.” Aloy pointed out.

“That's not _quite_ a thought I would have, but it's very unlike you. I'm impressed.” Vanasha replied. “You might be onto something. The vanguard have settled into the palace, but haven't really settled into _Meridian_. Maybe he needs some local...friends.”

“Oh.” Uthid replied. He pointed a knowing finger at Vanasha, as she placed his drink down in front of him. “I should have known you'd be lewd about this. _You_ want to get him laid.”

“You're always so poetic, Uthid.”

Aloy thought about it for a moment, taking her drink from Vanasha. “That's...not a _bad_ idea.” Aloy said. “And it could work on...a few people.”

Vanasha and Uthid laughed at her honesty. “See?” Vanasha said to Uthid. “I told you she'd be fun.”

“Conspiring to get Erend laid could not be further from my idea of fun.”

“But you think it would be – good for him?” Aloy asked.

Uthid fixed her with a long-suffering stare, then huffed and took a big swig. Setting his tankard down firmly, he replied, “It's as good an idea as any, and I'm not getting dragged into it.”

Aloy shrugged. “There aren't enough Oseram in Meridian for it to work anyway.”

“Considering how sweet he's been on you,” Vanasha said, “I don't think we need to consider tribe.”

“The vanguard are for more acclimatised to Meridian than they'll admit.” Uthid agreed. “Some of them have developed a bit of a reputation for themselves among the locals.”

Aloy started on her second drink. To her relief, Vanasha had bought her the same thing as Uthid had. Maybe even a little weaker – the sweetness in the drink was a lot more pronounced and – oh. Maybe it was affecting her now.

“Wasn't his sister sweet on – no. _No_. I'm not involved in this.” Uthid insisted.

Vanasha pointed approvingly at Uthid. “You're right. His sister _was_ involved with the Sun-King. Allegedly, of course.”

Aloy laughed, shaking her head. “I can't believe we're talking about this so seriously.”

“I'm just trying to make a good friend's life that _little_ bit easier.” Vanasha replied, with a smirk.

“No, you just don't want Erend making a face every time you flirt with me.” Aloy retorted, which made Vanasha laugh out loud.

“Huh, feeling that drink now, are we?” Uthid asked.

“She has a sharper tongue than people say.” Vanasha chuckled.

“Speaking of Avad,” Aloy said, “When we saved him from Dervahl, he, um....I'm not sure what he was trying to do, to be honest. But he essentially propositioned me.”

“You could tell me the Sun himself had propositioned you, Aloy, and I'd probably believe it.” Uthid said.

“Yeah, I-” Aloy began to comment on the needless gendering of the Sun, and then decided it wasn't worth pursuing. “Anyway. I don't think he's serious about it any more either. I think...I think he was just feeling too many emotions to process correctly. But I still think about it when I see him. At the end of the day, I would just like to be able to see my friends in Meridian without it playing in the back of my mind that there's something going unaddressed on their end.”

“And you are talking to _precisely_ the right person to get this moving.” Vanasha replied. “However, getting a Sun-King involved is a whole other affair. He receives marriage propositions as often as he receives assassination attempts. But it is _me_ you're talking to.”

“After such an assault, a Sun-King's marriage would rally the people.” Uthid commented.

“Oh, I, uh, don't think it needs to be _that_ drastic.” Aloy said.

“Mm, yes, a consort would probably do.” Vanasha agreed.

“A....consort?”

“A consort. You know, companion to the King?” Uthid replied.

“Is that different from a normal relationship somehow?”

“The Sun-King's wife needs to be as much a political power as he is, and therefore she is normally married to him for political reasons, rather than affectionate ones. Both parties then usually take lovers.” Vanasha explained.

“That's...bizarre.” Aloy responded.

“No it's not.” Uthid said.

“Yes it-”

“It's besides the point.” Vanasha retorted. “If we're going to find the Sun-King a lover soon, you're not going to undo generations of tradition to do it.”

Uthid took a long swig of his drink rather than continue the argument. “Hurry up, Aloy.”

Aloy groaned. Slowly, she got to work on getting through the second drink.

“ _I_ think this sounds like a lot of fun.” Vanasha said. “I have to admit, I've been bored. Not a lot of people have been scheming against the Sunburst Throne these days, and the remnants of the Shadow Carja are very quiet. A little mischief to help a friend would be exactly the kind of thing to keep me occupied in these peaceful times.”

“And what would you expect me to do?” Aloy asked, between mouthfuls.

“Well, at present, it's hard to say.” Vanasha replied. “As with any operations like these, we must always start by gathering information. From their interest in you we can surmise that 'independent women who are strong in every way' is...within their interests.”

Uthid snorted.

“I certainly can't fault them for that. But is that usually within their interests? How often do they encounter a person who meets that description? Are they usually interested in women? Are they usually interested in someone less authoritative than themselves?”

“Ok. I still can't believe we're talking about this seriously.” Aloy replied.

“...but?” Vanasha asked, pointedly.

Aloy stared at Vanasha, then put her drink down. The world was definitely a little mellower now. Colours seemed simultaneously a little warmer, and a little less defined. She found she was having to focus a little bit on the mouths of her companions, because if she didn't, she would struggle to hear them correctly. “But...yes, it would solve my problem.”

“Good!”

“I'm still not getting involved, but Erend definitely needs someone who can take charge.” Uthid commented.

“Yeah, I don't think I want to have _that_ conversation.” Aloy quickly replied.

Vanasha laughed. “Aloy, give me your shards. I'll order for you.”

Aloy dug in her pouch for the required shards, counted them – carefully, because counting them was somehow unusually difficult - and then held them up in a closed fist. “Just – promise me you're not going to make me...gather information. Or something.”

“Aloy, you know that's _my_ speciality.” Vanasha replied. “Don't worry. I'm close enough to the Sun-King's sphere that I know where and when to ask. And Uthid can go drinking with the vanguard.”

Uthid waved a hand in protest. “Absolutely not. There is-”

“Don't you want to help the saviour of Meridian? Don't you want to help improve Oseram-Carja relations?”

“Ugh. You're a thorn in my side, woman.”

“So you say.” Vanasha countered, smirking. She held out her hand for Aloy's shards. “But, people are given to telling you things, Aloy, so try and think like me if they start telling you anything I can use.”

“I could never have your expertise.” Aloy replied.

“No, you couldn't, but you are exceedingly intelligent, and are naturally easy to talk to.”

Aloy laughed. “Flattery gets you everywhere, doesn't it?”

Vanasha smiled. “So you'll see, Little Huntress. Now, try and finish your drink before I return. We're playing against an expert, you see.”

Uthid rolled his eyes as Vanasha walked away. “Very clever. Aloy,” he said, holding out his tankard. “here's to a future where we don't get roped into Vanasha's ridiculous schemes.”

“They're not _so_ bad.” Aloy said.

Uthid shook his head. “Fine. Here's to a future where _I_ don't get roped into them.”

Aloy smiled, and clanked her tankard against his.


	2. An Oseram that Married a Carja

Aloy awoke the next morning and knew immediately why she felt heavy and sluggish. Despite what she'd heard about hangovers, she didn't feel an immediate need to vomit, knew where she was, and felt like she might – eventually – be able to get up without assistance. Safe in the knowledge that she was out of harm's way and didn't have any pressing business, she continued to doze. Vanasha had insisted Aloy stay with her in her quarters at the Palace of the Sun, and Aloy was glad to have a simple bedroll and a floor to sleep on. The last and only time she'd slept on a bed – that restless night before the assault on the Spire – she had found it too soft to provide a decent nights' sleep.

She heard the sound of Vanasha rousing herself and blearily opened her eyes. Vanasha wore separate clothes for sleeping, and she had told Aloy that many people in Meridian did this, especially in the upper echelons of society. Aloy thought that it was an interesting luxury, but could sort of understand why they needed to – the clothes that Vanasha, Avad and other nobility wore were very structured and quite tight in places, and looked like they'd be incredibly uncomfortable to sleep in. Vanasha had said that she'd gone to sleep in her day clothes several times, and woken up with sore spots in the morning from the belts and embellishments. What Vanasha wore now was simple in comparison to her day wear, but still very fine; a long purple tunic of a thin cotton, with a high collar and a deep cut down the front. The tunic fell all the way down to her knees, and she wore a pair of loose-fitting trousers that gathered just above the ankle.

“Are you admiring, envying, or both, Aloy?” Vanasha asked her, teasingly. Her voice was a little rougher than usual at that early hour, but contained all her usual humour.

“Just curious.” Aloy said. Her voice came out far deeper than it normally did, with a raspy edge, like she hadn't slept properly for a few days. “Have you ever tripped over your trousers?”

Vanasha chuckled. “Do your furs not make you sneeze?”

Aloy processed the reply for a second, then closed her eyes again and pulled her covers over her.

“So, you survived your first tavern! _Congratulations_.”

“Thanks. I think.”

“You're welcome. Personally, I wouldn't mind a repeat. You have a large touch more humour after a drink or two.”

The noise Aloy made was halfway between a grunt and a laugh. “I wonder how Uthid is.”

“Oh, none the worse for wear, I think.” Vanasha replied. “He's drunk _far_ more and still been up for first light.”

Aloy huffed. She knew her present, mildly hungover state was due to her being an inexperienced alcohol drinker, and that her hungover had been mitigated by her being served very mild drinks - but she was still a little bitter to think that wherever Uthid was, he – who had drunk far heavier than she had – was probably feeling better than she was.

“Do you have any plans for the day?”

“Yes.” Aloy replied, though her plans didn't necessarily have a structure or aim to them. “I'm going to the Hunter's Lodge.”

“Ah yes, I'm sure the Sunhawk will be happy to see her thrush. When did you last see her?”

“Not since just after the battle at the Spire.”

“You'll have a lot to talk about then. I recommend you go later today, a few hours before evensong.”

“Why?”

“The Sunhawk has started an afternoon tutelage for women in Meridian.” Vanasha replied. “It's rather controversial, but that's as expected of her.”

Aloy smiled. Talanah probably knew exactly what sort of fuss she was causing.

“Wait here. I'll get us some breakfast, and then you can be on your way.”

“Will I be able to go without being held up by anyone?”

“Well, by now, Marad will know you're here,” Vanasha replied, “but we undoubtedly would have found out by now if he or the Sun-King had plans to speak to you. His Radiance has a busy day meeting with some estate holders – though I'm sure he would _happily_ make time to see you, if you wanted.”

“ _No-_ ” Aloy answered, a little too quickly, “- no. No thank you. That's fine.”

Vanasha laughed. “Take your time, Aloy. I'll be back soon.”

* * *

When Aloy finally left the palace – stomach full, and head slightly less heavy – the early summer sun was already climbing the sky. Breakfast with Vanasha had been pleasant, with remarkably little conversation from the Carja, who had barely even mentioned the night before or the bizarre plans she had seemed enthusiastic about. Aloy began to wonder if it was all the drink talking. She wasn't sure if she liked that better, or if after everything, she actually wanted their strange scheme to be serious.

Vanasha helped Aloy out of the palace through an entrance meant for servants, which wasn't entirely the quiet exit that Aloy had hoped for. More than a few of the servants recognised both Aloy and Vanasha and whispered behind their backs as they left. When Aloy voiced her discomfort, Vanasha only chuckled, as she always did, and told Aloy that their secretive exit would be linked to any number of gossips over the next couple of weeks, by which point there would be something else much newer and exciting that would cause this bit of gossip to be all but forgotten. Aloy didn't think that that was very comforting, but held her tongue.

“If you have time before you visit the Sunhawk,” Vanasha said, as they stepped out onto the balconies, “perhaps you could find time to visit Olin Delverson.”

“Olin is here?”

“Yes. He's preparing his possessions for his return to the Claim.” Vanasha replied. “He's under order to hand over anything of note regarding the Shadow Carja to the Palace.”

“They're still a threat?”

“In so much as _any_ dwindling cult can be.”

“Right.”

“However, _I_ had thought you might be interested to see if he has any Old Ones relics - or information - that he might be parting with.” Vanasha said. “You're still interested in them, aren't you?”

“You're telling me this...for free?”

Vanasha laughed, but this time it came out a bit more like a cackle, as if she were truly amused by Aloy's remark. “Well. When you put it _that_ way. Perhaps you could remind him his due to the Sun-King while you're there?”

“...I could pass that on.”

“Good.” They were near the steps now, leading down towards the bridge that would take Aloy into Meridian. “Well, have a _lovely_ day. You will find the Sunhawk and her students in Meridian Village. And remember – _think like me_.” Vanasha said, smirking knowingly.

“I'll...try.” Aloy replied, with a sheepish smile. “Are you...still...serious about all that?”

“Aloy, trying to find our mutual friends some romance is much lighter, much more _fun_ work than I normally do, and potentially, just as much of a _challenge_.”

Aloy smiled. “I wouldn't want to deny you any fun.”

“You're so kind.”

They said their farewells, and Aloy quickly made her way down the steps, ignoring the glances of the nobles already lining up for their chance with the Sun-King, and across the bridge. The guards at this point were mostly used to her coming and going, but she would still occasionally have one guard – maybe not at his usual posting – who would struggle to keep the surprise off his face at the sight of a Nora walking freely through the Palace.

Meridian was busy and bustling; Aloy had come to learn that when the summer heat got particularly strong, business would be conducted in the early morning and in the late afternoon, and during the middle of the day when the sun was highest, everyone would retreat to their own homes and the shade. Aloy still wasn't accustomed to seeing so many people in one place. She hurried through the marketplace, on towards Olin's home.

As she approached, the door was ajar, and there were a couple of Carja labourers sorting things in the front room. Aloy hovered at the doorframe and rapped her knuckles against the heavy door. Aloy noted, with some amusement, that it was a different door to the one Erend had broken. The nearest labourer looked up, and immediately stopped in his tracks, clearly not expecting the sight of a heavily-armed Nora at the door.

Aloy was used to being stared at. “I'm...here to see Olin?” Aloy said.

The labourer stared at her for a long moment while processing what she'd said, and then started to falteringly respond. “He's...in the...”

“Basement. He's in the...uhm...” the second labourer filled in for his colleague, before also catching sight of who he was speaking to, and falling silent.

Aloy nodded, and took a step in. “Thanks. I'll just...?” she said, gesturing towards the door. Neither of the labourers moved so she continued on in, leaving them to figure out whatever it was they were figuring out.

The vault hatch was just as broken as she and Erend had left it all that time ago, but most of the rubble and ingots had been cleared away. There was a pile of wooden planks to the side of the entrance, in preparation to build a new one, Aloy supposed. She called out as she descended the stairs, and a familiar voice called back to her.

“Hello? Who's there?”

“It's, uh, it's me. Aloy?”

“ _Aloy?_ ” Olin exclaimed, with an unusual tone that sat uncomfortably between incredulity and fear. As Aloy entered the basement, she met with a face that showed that exact same expression. “Aloy! What in – what brings you here?”

The basement was simultaneously messier and cleaner than the last time Aloy had been there. There were boxes, tools and paraphernalia strewn across the far side of the room that had clearly been brought down for sorting, but the wall to Aloy's left had been stripped bare and cleaned already.

“Vanasha told me you were here. She said you had things for the Palace?”

“Oh! Yes. Don't know what they can get out of it, but it's all in these boxes.” Olin said, gesturing to three boxes in the corner of the room. “I don't think they need to worry about the Eclipse anymore, but I guess you can't take risks with a Sun-King. It'll all be delivered tomorrow morning when we leave.”

“So soon?”

“I got down here a week ago. We've been clearing out since.”

“You've been in the Claim?”

“Yeah. After you and me cleared out that farm, we came back to Meridian, got the important things, and went straight home. Enasha and the boy stayed there while I came down here to tie up loose ends. I know, I know, you'd think a Carja woman would be eager see Meridian again, but she grew up – did you... _just_ come to ask about the crates?” Olin asked, cutting himself mid-ramble.

“Well, no. Do you still have any Old Ones things you're getting rid of?”

“Ah. Aloy, I don't really keep a lot of that around. Whatever I find on digs, I sell. But, you're welcome to have a look around. Enasha kept some things that she liked, maybe they'll be your kind of thing. Have a look upstairs.”

“Thanks. I will.”

Aloy headed back up the stairs and made her way past the labourers, who were making an attempt not to gawk at the Nora in their midst, and up to the first floor. The room was laid out similarly to the basement; half-packed, and half-littered with things yet to be sorted. The fireplace was clean, unused in Olin's absence and the summer heat, and all the items that had been on the shelves were in different places around the floor. The family tapestry hung where it had been last time, above what Aloy assumed was the son's bed. Any other ornaments had been taken down, like the thunderjaw tapestry, or the lantern that had hung above the son's bed.

“You wouldn't think an Oseram lived here,” Aloy murmured to herself, noting the style of Olin's belongings.

Next to the larger bed – the only bed still made – were a few open boxes that first caught Aloy's eye. The first one held what Aloy could only guess was an ancient sculpture. It resembled a strider, but was clearly made of flesh and blood. It was cast in a dramatic pose, half-stood on its hind legs with one front leg curled inwards and one leg striking outwards, and its head tucked in onto its arched neck. Aloy could make out what seemed to be the worn-down marks of muscle, and at its rear end it seemed to have a tail like a fox, which pooled slightly behind its back legs, propping the sculpture up.

Aloy tapped her focus, prompting it to analyse the sculpture, and after a few moments of thought, words appeared in front of her. _Ornament. Bronze. Horse._

"Horse? Like _hoarse_?” Aloy pondered out loud. She had previously attempted to find pronunciations for things she'd found in the Old World, but the pronunciations were always written in some code that Aloy hadn't been able to fully understand yet. “I've seen statues of Old Ones riding you.”

The next item seemed to be some kind of container, similar to ones that she had seen the Carja use, but this one was clearly ancient. It was small, at a size that Aloy could cup in both hands and fit only a few fingers through the handles. She could make out rounded etchings in the pale reddish-pink ceramic. The holes in the neck were either intentional, or where parts of the pattern had fallen out, as they lined up perfectly with what was left of the etchings. How ancient was it? Aloy wondered whether the Old Ones of the metal world would make things like this. Were the people who came before the Old Ones more like the Carja, and made their equipment and tools out of the same materials?

Aloy tapped her focus again, and after a little while longer of that little rotating picture that showed her Focus was gathering information, it showed the message ' _data not found_ '.

“Huh. Shame.”

Something to the side of the box caught her eye as she went to move to the next box. Laid out on the floor, in an intricate and open ornamental box, was what Aloy assumed was a circlet, made of golden wire and ornamented with various ancient chimes. The chimes that Aloy had come across had been warped and rusted with time, but these ones had been coated with a metallic paint. They also all seemed to have something slightly unique about them, where it was the remnants of an engraving, or a particular shape to the flat end that struck Aloy as ornamental.

Aloy heard the stairs creaking behind her and turned to see Olin joining her. “Hey. Do you need anything?”

“What's this?” Aloy asked, pointing at the circlet.

“Ah. That's Enasha's.” Olin explained. He kneeled down and gently picked it up with both hands. The chimes clinked together as Olin picked it up. He turned so that an emptier part of the wiring was facing Aloy, where the most unusually-shaped and most clearly engraved chime hung by itself. “You know as well as I do that these chimes are common as ridgewood at ruins. But Enasha always liked them for some reason. When I met her she already had a small collection.”

“It's beautiful.” Aloy said, and even though it wasn't the sort of thing she could ever imagine wearing, she meant it. “Was it your idea?”

“Yes, actually.” Olin replied, a small, proud smile. “I mean – I don't normally. It's not very Oseram, we don't care about trinkets like these. You see, our son was born during the Red Raids. I guess I wanted...it was a difficult time for her. I wanted her to feel...”

“Special?”

Olin sighed through his nose. “Yeah.”

“What about these?”

“These? Well, the strider-thing's for Kehron.”

“That's your son's name?”

“Yeah. He always liked striders. He doesn't remember when they weren't hostile, obviously, but he likes them. I found this in a ruin in the East Claim. It's not as fun as his toys, but he still seems to like it. Sometimes I find him just staring at it.”

“And the vase?”

“Now, that was a weird one. Really small ruin up near the Claim, very little left. But it had the weirdest collection of things. Everything looked like it came from somewhere different. It had this casket-thing, really big thing with engravings on it. I think it had been painted at one point. Didn't try to pry it open, didn't like the idea of that. I don't know,” Olin said, defensively, “I'm not superstitious, but something felt off. Then there were these sculptures of people, all broken apart, made out of this hard beige material. Looked like it might have been white, once. And then lots of little things, ancient tools, ancient relics. I don't know. I thought someone might like this as an ornament, but Enasha took a liking to it.” Olin shrugged. “Kehron used to hide shards in there so he could sneak off to the market and buy sweets.”

“Did you find any in it just now?”

Olin smiled wryly. “Six.”

The pair shared a laugh. Vanasha's voice wormed its way into Aloy's head; _think like me._

“How...how did you two meet?” Aloy asked, a little hesitantly. “You said Kehron was born during the Red Raids? Did you meet before?”

“It's...” Olin crossed his arms, “...a long story, Aloy, and I'm not good at stories. Her family came from the border, and moved to my settlement not long after I came of age. I didn't like them at first, but....ah. I was younger then, stupid. Her parents kept to the Carja ways, but she liked the Oseram life. We saw each other for a few years before we were married. The Red Raids started not long after that. Her parents answered the call to return to Meridian. She stayed with me in the Claim.”

“What did your tribe think? Of you marrying a Carja?”

“Ha. It's not as uncommon as you think. Other tribes aren't as reclusive as the Nora. Before the Red Raids, everyone knew of someone's cousin's wife's brother who'd married a Carja. Usually it was forgemen who went off to Meridian when they were young.”

“Huh. That's...interesting.” Aloy replied. Though she had long ago accepted the Carja and Oseram as being linked in a way that the Nora could never understand, she had never thought two tribes could be open-minded enough to have that kind of relationship. “Would that be true even after the Red Raids?”

“It's...well. It's not as common as it was. The Red Raids changed a lot. Like I said, Enasha had a hard time. You know, when she and her family settled in, she got used to Oseram culture so quickly it was like she'd lived there all her life. And even with that, and her Oseram family name, and her half-Oseram son, there were people who turned on her just for being Carja.”

“That's awful.”

“Yeah. That's why I wanted to make this.” Olin said, laying the circlet gently back in its box. “I'd been collecting these fancy chimes for years, thinking I'd do something with them. I don't know how she put up with everything for so long. She could've taken Kehron and gone home.”

“You defended her, right?”

“Of course! But I always think...I could have done more. Could've thrown down for a few more assholes, worked a little harder to get trade elsewhere. I mean, I had to put up with shit, but she had it ten times worse.”

“She must care for you a lot.”

Olin sighed. “Yeah. Still not sure why. But it's not for me to question, huh?”

Aloy smiled, and shrugged. “She must have her reasons.”

“Mm. And I'll always be grateful. But going back to your question – it's not as common as it was. And even then it wasn't _common,_ it just was something that happened sometimes. People are still wary of the Carja. But people met each other as slaves, as insurgents. People are people, I guess.”

“I guess it's different if you haven't seen a Carja since the Red Raids, than if you've been working with them ever since.”

“Exactly. I hear some of the vanguard aren't shy about the Carja.”

“You _hear?_ ” Aloy probed, remembering how Olin and Erend had described their acquaintanceship.

Olin raised an eyebrow, then raised his arms in surrender. “You're right, you're right. I might have seen it a couple times, drinking with them. Fire and spit, those kids need to learn a few things about romance.”

“Oh, so bad flirting's not just an Oseram thing?”

“Ha! I mean, yes and no. We're straightforward, we're not evasive like the Carja. But there's straightforward and then there's...” Olin chuckled at some memory of his own, “then there's _Hargrund._ ”

“You think the Carja are evasive?”

“Eh, I guess that's not fair. The nobles are the ones that speak in riddles. I won't miss that Blameless Marad. But your everyday Carja, like you or me, they're ok. Enasha's always been forthright. Usually. Sometimes she puts on airs just to mess with me.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a Carja.”

“Yeah.” Olin paused, then shot a sideways glance at Aloy. “Anyway, why do you ask?”

“Um.” Aloy paused, thinking of something to say. “It's just...the Nora...they don't mix. So it's...not what I'm used to.”

“Heh. I heard some of the Nora came to fight at the Spire? I bet that was a shock for them.”

“Yeah, they were _pretty_ uncomfortable.”

“Well, change often isn't comfortable. I should know.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“You, uh...are you asking because...you like someone?”

“ _What_?” Aloy started at the suggestion. “No. No, I'm...” Aloy stopped herself short of saying uninterested, because she'd had enough people tell her that one day she would be, “...a bit _busy_.”

“Yeah, you're telling me. Good. I'm not good at talking about that kind of stuff. Shit. Hoping I might figure something out by the time the boy's old enough, at least.”

Aloy smiled, relieved that Olin had changed topic. “As long as you're there for him, I'm sure he'll be fine.”

“Yeah. I hope so.” The conversation came to a natural pause, and Olin seemed to be struggling to think of something else to say. “Well, I'm gonna leave you to it. Feel free to look through anything, just try not to mess up the stuff that's packed. Let me know if you want to stay for lunch, we eat early and then rest for midday. And burning forges, don't ask me anything else about romance.”

Aloy laughed. “Thanks, Olin. You've been very helpful.”

“For you, Aloy, always happy to be of service.”

Olin nodded in farewell, then headed downstairs. As his footsteps faded, Aloy turned back to the trinkets, and shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe Vanasha's rubbing off on me,” she murmured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for the response to the last chapter (actually I have no idea if it was a good or bad response compared to other works but the kudos etc made me feel very good). My aim is to have a new chapter out roughly every month or so. Thanks again, and as said before, tags etc will update as the work progresses!


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